Osteospermum plant named ‘Duetisweka’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Duetisweka’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy plant form; early and freely flowering habit; and daisy-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets that are dark red purple in color.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUETISWEKA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duetisweka’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the program is to create and develop new compact Osteospermum plants with uniformly mounded plant habit and numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a self-pollination in July, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number Q05-4399-501, not patented. The new Osteospermum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated self-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duetisweka’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duetisweka’ as a new and distinct Osteospermum plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy plant form.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray         florets that are dark red purple in color.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the parent selection in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the parent selection are bluish in color.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Cape Daisy Lubango’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Osteospermum differed primarily from plants of ‘Cape Daisy Lubango’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more compact than plants         of ‘Cape Daisy Lubango’.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum had shorter leaves than plants         of ‘Cape Daisy Lubango’.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Osteospermum had larger         and darker red purple-colored ray florets than inflorescences of         plants of ‘Cape Daisy Lubango’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duetisweka’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typically used in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time about three weeks after planting and were 13 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Duetisweka’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number             Q05-4399-501, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis, identified as code number             Q05-4399-501, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounded plant             habit; upright inflorescences positioned above the foliar             plane; freely branching habit with about six lateral             branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral             branch development; dense and bushy plant form; and             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 14 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 13 cm. Diameter: About             3.5 mm. Internode length: About 7 mm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 4.6 cm. Width: About 2.1 cm. Shape: Roughly spatulate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Dentate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; leathery. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 144B. Petioles:             Length: About 7.6 mm. Diameter: About 3.4 mm. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             Close to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and flowering habit.—Daisy-type inflorescence             form with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets;             inflorescences mostly flat and are positioned above the             foliar plane on strong peduncles; disc and ray florets             developing acropetally on a capitulum; inflorescences face             mostly upright; freely flowering habit with about 47             inflorescences developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season and flowering response.—In Germany,             plants of the new Osteospermum flower continuously during             the spring and summer; early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about six weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Inflorescences last about three days on             the plant; inflorescences not persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 137B and 154B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.1 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.4 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm. Receptacle             diameter: About 4.4 mm. Receptacle height: About 3.3 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 14 to 15 per             inflorescence arranged in single whorl. Length: About             3.5 cm. Width: About 9.6 mm. Shape: Elongated oblong. Apex:             Emarginate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 72A; color becoming             closer to 83A with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Longitudinal stripes, close to 81A             and 83A.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 21 per             inflorescence massed at the center of the receptacle.             Length: About 6 mm. Diameter, apex: About 1 mm. Diameter,             base: About 0.8 mm. Shape: Tubular; apex dentate,             five-pointed. Color: Towards the apex, close to 101C;             towards the base, close to 1D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 14 to 15.             Length: About 9.4 mm. Width: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             leathery. Color, upper surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower             surface: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous; leathery. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1.9 mm.             Anther color: Close to 97A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 17A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc             florets. Pistil length: About 7.2 mm. Stigma shape: Crested.             Stigma color: Close to 79A. Style length: About 2.9 mm.             Style color: Close to 79A. Ovary color: Close to 144C.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 6.5 mm. Diameter: About 2.9 mm. Color:             Close to 200A. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermum plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about     35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Duetisweka’ as illustrated and described. 